More aggressive recruiting of potential firefighter candidates has paid off for Easton.
Easton City Council on Wednesday approved the city’s civil service board certified list of 36 eligible entry-level firefighters.
That’s up from five people on the city’s previous list, now exhausted, of eligible candidates for the fire department.
"Awesome" is how city Administrator Luis Campos described the increase, as the city looks to fill six vacancies right now and is bracing for the departures of 25 firefighters eligible for retirement this year.
The current vacancies include three new firefighter positions approved by council last month, bringing the professional department's complement of non-supervisory firefighters from 36 to 39.
The newest hires will begin employment with the city at the start of the next fire academy June 28, according to Campos.
The civil service list is good for two years.
This year's firefighter hiring process drew 119 applicants, compared to 43 last time, after a number of changes aimed at drawing more interest, city Human Resources Manager Stefanie Weber told council last month.
Under a separate hiring change approved by council affecting the fire department, council last month approved eliminating the written examination in hiring a deputy chief. Instead, the city will rely solely on an oral interview for that post, one of two management positions in the department along with the chief.
"A 15-day notice for all eligible candidates must be given," Campos said in explaining the change approved May 22. "A panel of three Pennsylvania fire chiefs will conduct the interview and rate the candidates. Easton's fire chief will not be part of panel."
City council earlier in May delayed cutting the written examination, over favoritism fears voiced by Councilman Peter Melan. In response, Easton Fire Chief Mike Krill told council May 22 that captains and lieutenants are already tested to determine their level of knowledge.
“We then provide them with skills to direct and control firefighters on the fire ground,” Krill said in a statement. “The deputy chief’s position is a different level of leadership. Managerial, not supervisory. It requires other assets such as communications, interpersonal qualities, confidence, self-awareness and ethical qualities.”
Oral exams test the ability of deputy chief candidates “to think on their feet,” Krill said.
“The traits we are looking for are not identified through a multiple-choice testing process,” he continued. “It requires a deeper probing of the aforementioned skills and attributes.”
Easton has been without a deputy fire chief since Kevin Arnold retired earlier this year.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.